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Government Funding Cuts Anger Romanian Top Universities

We’ve highlighted below some of the most recent developments and occurrences in youth-related news and events. In this week's Friday news we speak about four new State universities that will be opened in Zimbabwe, government funding cuts that angered top Romanian universities and decision of Canadian universities to cut pay and benefits for their presidents.

Four new State universities to open in Zimbabwe

The Herald reports that Zimbabwean government has approved the opening of four new State universities.These four universities are Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Gwanda State University, Manicaland University of Applied Sciences and the Pan-African Minerals University of Science and Technology. Some of the universities have already started enrolling students. Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira stated: ''The four universities we are yet to establish have been approved by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development. Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology has already started enrolling students and the other three are yet to be established.''

Government funding cuts anger Romanian top universities

Romanian government has decided to cut funds for their top universities and this move angered country's leading academics, reports Balkan Insight. Romania’s 56 state universities have been obliged to reduce the number of students in the humanities, social sciences and business, and boost the number of students in technical fields, the automotive industry, tourism, IT, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. Minister of Education Valentin Pop said that with this decision, education system is adapted to economic priorities of the country.

The University of Alberta and the University of Calgary cut pay and benefits for presidents

The University of Alberta and the University of Calgary will not be allowed to pay their presidents more than $447,000 a year, and taking into a consideration that University of Alberta president David Turpin earns around $824,000 a year in pay and benefits, this represents a significant cut. Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt stated: ''By eliminating executive bonuses, we are bringing presidential pay more in line with that of the broader public sector and with that of (post-secondary) presidents in comparable jurisdictions across the country.” Any existing contracts already in effect and extending past the 2020 deadline will be honoured, and the changes will be put into effect as of Sunday. The deadline for meeting the new pay guidelines is April, 2020. These changes will help saving around $5 million a year that will be kept with the post-secondary institutions to re-invest. Schmidt also added: “All of our college presidents and university presidents are deeply committed to public service, and they recognize that their roles are ultimately about public service and compensation is a secondary consideration.”